As a natural hairstylist having an Instagram feed full of beautiful photos is crucial. Why?
Clients come to you because they want to look good. You’ve got to take the initiative and show them how you can make them look good. Instagram gives you a simple platform with a large reach to do this.
However, your natural hair photography has to turn heads or you’ll get lost among the beautiful photos streaming through clients’ feeds. Keep reading for some killer tips on how to photograph your work in the best light and attract more clients.
1. Get Permission
Most of your clients will be happy to let you use photos of their hair on your Instagram, especially once you show them how amazing it looks! However, not everyone will be excited about the idea, and some people may prefer that you don’t share photos of them on social media.
To that end, always get permission before posting anyone’s photo online.
Don’t be shy about asking, though. People will be less excited about the prospect if you seem nervous or hesitant. Instead, gush about how amazing their hair turned out and how much you would LOVE to post it on your Instagram. Most people will readily agree when you approach it like that.
2. Photograph the Hair
Our natural inclination when photographing a person is to photograph their face. Don’t forget, though, you want to show off your work. In general, you might be taking photos of the back of their head or perhaps a side view.
On occasion, you might want to take a photo of the client’s face, like when you want to showcase the way the style frames or complements the face. However, in general, the focus should be on the hair rather than the face.
3. A Clean Background
A quick snap while the client is still sitting in the chair might be most convenient, but it won’t wow anyone scrolling through Instagram. To properly showcase the hair, it needs to stand out in the photo. A bunch of elements in the background will distract the viewer and take the emphasis off the hairstyle.
Find a sweet spot in your salon. A plain white wall is the best background, but if you don’t have one choose the most neutral background in the salon or purchase white board than can used as the background.
4. Natural Lighting
When you’re scouting locations, don’t forget you want a spot with lots of natural light. A camera flash is a great tool, but using natural light will yield the most flattering results. Photos that are taken with flash often end up with harsh, distracting shadows. And remeber the light should be behind the camera not in front of it.
5. Hair Color
As you photograph, it’s important to think about the color of the hair. Lighter-colored hair will show up better in a photo. It’s easy to lose the details in dark hair when you’re trying to avoid blowing out the background. Use the HDR setting on your camera to help capture those details while keeping the background under control at the same time.
6. Experiment with Different Angles
If you’re going to go to the trouble of hyping up your client for the photo and bringing her over to your designated picture spot, make it worth it. Don’t just take one or two quick snaps and call it good. Instead, try several different angles. Be creative and experiment with your photos. Unusual perspectives will help make your photos stand out on Instagram. Plus, you don’t want your entire feed to be full of very similar-looking photos.
7. Edit Your Photos
Some hairstylists may shy away from editing their photos because they think that they have to show their work “au naturel”. However, in reality, nearly every photo can be made better with a touch of editing without misrepresenting the appearance of the hairstyle.
Now, we’re not talking about going crazy with Photoshop by changing colors and adding a bit of volume here and there. That would be misrepresenting your work.
Rather, play around with adjusting the light a little, add a touch of contrast to make the hair stand out more, or smudge out any small facial blemishes your client may feel self-conscious about. Small touches can make your photos pop and genuinely show the beauty of your work.
Instagram-Worthy Hair Photos
That’s all there is to it! By following these tips for great hair photography you can show off your work as a natural hairstylist with gorgeous, Instagram-worthy images. Fill your feed regularly with new content to keep up your visibility and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your posts. People want to know who they’re coming to see!
Check out more of our articles for more great hairstyling tips!